This invention relates to laundry prespotting compositions. More particularly this invention relates to metastable emulsion laundry prespotting compositions having excellent stain removal properties.
Current commercially available prespotting compositions fall into two categories, those based primarily upon water and those based primarily upon solvents. The aqueous based prespotting compositions are primarily non-aerosol formulations intended for use in trigger spray bottles or squeeze bottles. These aqueous based prespotting compositions have good stain removal characteristics against the so-called water-borne stains. These stains include grape juice, mustard, grass, chocolate, clay and similar stains.
The solvent based composition formulations typically have been packaged in aerosol form. These solvent-based compositions typically are more effective in removing oil-borne stains, such as cooking oil, fat, spaghetti sauce, sebum, grease, motor oil and the like. It is possible to formulate solvent-based prespotting compositions with reasonable water-borne stain remover. However it is desirable to use a composition which has good removal for both water-borne and oil-borne stains.
There have been attempts to replace the solvent with water in prespotter compositions for both aerosol and non-aerosol formulation types. One approach is describled in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 293,049 filed Aug. 14, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,009. The composition described in this application are aqueous emulsions containing a salt, a nonionic surfactant, from 5 to 60% by weight of a solvent, and water. These compositions are described as having good stain removal properties but these compositions require that some solvent be present for the enhanced stain removal.